Case NOT Closed

Upon hearing the voice, everyone turned to look. There stood a young man leaning against the doorway.

It was Kensuke, who had just come down from upstairs.

“Strictly criticizing one’s own kind and being so tolerant of lower life forms, is anti-intellectualism making a comeback in this country?” he remarked, but his eyes are not on the kids, instead, it’s on the dog.

“It’s you!” Conan furrowed his brows, recalling the incident on the subway earlier in the day.

“Conan, what did he mean just now?” A few children nearby, looking confused, glanced at Kensuke and then back at Conan.

“It’s not a good phrase. Don’t dwell on its meaning,” Conan said with a serious expression.

Perhaps it was the lawyer’s presence, but the person before him exerted great pressure as soon as he appeared.

Ayumi Yoshida, Mitsuhiko Tsuburaya, Genta Kojima, and the highschool detective who had turned into a child and went by the name Conan Edogawa, had formed the so-called Detective Boys.

Kensuke glanced at them casually, recalling their names.

“Picking a fight with a bunch of kids, don’t you feel embarrassed?” came a mature, slightly cold female voice from the side.

“Kensuke, you haven’t changed a bit!” said one of the two prosecutors.

She had long black hair, a delicate face, and a well-proportioned figure. Her eagle-like sharp eyes complemented her clean, straight prosecutor’s uniform, making her look both graceful and commanding.

This was Reiko Kujo, 33 years old, a senior prosecutor at the Tokyo District Prosecutor’s Office, also known as the “Madonna of the Prosecutor’s World.”

“Oh my, isn’t this my dear teacher Kujo?” Kensuke turned to look at her, appraising her from head to toe, and exaggeratedly said, “Long time no see, and you’ve become even more beautiful! But the extra fat around your waist hasn’t changed at all. Sigh, when you reach middle age, all sorts of less-than-ideal situations tend to happen!”

“You little rascal…”

A vein throbbed on Reiko’s forehead.

She had known Kensuke for quite some time. She had been his supervisor during his legal training, and she vividly remembered this guy’s personality, character, and his sharp-tongued wit.

Although it had been several months since they last met, this guy was still as infuriating as ever.

Reiko took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.

“I heard you’ve taken on this dog-related murder case,” Reiko said coldly. “I advise you to give up early. This case has clear evidence that can identify Masayoshi Sakaguchi as the murderer. This is your debut case. For the sake of your future, don’t lose your first battle!”

“Oh? The Prosecution Office seems to have quite the inside scoop!” Kensuke raised an eyebrow.

“So, is it your case, or do I have to spar with you?” he continued.

“Of course not, it’s me!” the male prosecutor next to her said.

“Kensuke, you won’t be so cocky this time! I’ll represent Prosecutor Kujo and defeat you soundly!” said Ryuuji Masami, an assistant prosecutor at the Tokyo District Prosecutor’s Office, who had taken the same bar exam year as Kensuke.

He was known for his square-shaped glasses, and when he took them off, his eyes squinted because he couldn’t see clearly.

Despite being an assistant prosecutor, he often worked alongside Reiko as her assistant and secretary to gain experience.

“Oh, it’s you.” Kensuke didn’t even bother to look at him, “A soft shrimp who would wet his pants at a malfunctioning elevator shouldn’t try to make himself noticed. First, find an antenna and stick it in your head to check your own position!”

“You…” Ryuuji gritted his teeth, realizing he couldn’t outtalk Kensuke in a verbal duel, and snorted.

“Kensuke, you’re just good at talking big now, but real judicial proceedings aren’t the same as those mock trials during your training. Wash your neck clean and wait!” he retorted.

“I also advise you to act professionally and be a proper lawyer!” Reiko added. With that, they gave Kensuke one last look, greeted the surrounding police officers, released the dog from its cage, tied it up in the yard, and left the premises.

Kensuke shrugged and approached the dog, carefully examining it.

It was a standard German Shepherd, covered in black and yellow fur, with a fierce gaze and a robust physique. At first glance, it looked quite intimidating.

Kensuke took out a measuring tape and measured the dog’s size as part of his evidence inspection.

“Ruff, ruff, ruff~”

To his surprise, the German Shepherd, which had appeared fierce moments ago, suddenly became calm when approached by a stranger. It wagged its tail and seemed very affectionate towards Kensuke.

“Strange, why is John wagging his tail at someone he doesn’t know?” someone wondered.

“Yeah, what’s going on?” asked another.

The children, who frequently visited and had a bond with the dog, found this scene intriguing.

Conan, standing nearby, thought for a moment and spoke up.

“Uncle, you went to meet the client this morning, right?”

“Oh? What makes you say that?” Kensuke didn’t turn back, still crouched down, playing with the dog.

“Because the subway you took this morning goes to Tokyo Detention Center in the next station!” Conan said in his innocent voice. “And, Uncle, didn’t you just come from that direction at the front door? It means you came here for an on-site investigation.”

While speaking, he observed John.

“Here’s the evidence: John usually doesn’t get close to strangers, but he seems to like you on your first meeting. This suggests that you might have the scent of someone familiar on you. If we think about it, you must have had contact with Uncle Masayoshi, and he gave you the keys to his house. Otherwise, wouldn’t you be considered trespassing?”

“Oh? You also know the term ‘trespassing’!” Kensuke turned around and looked at Conan, the intensity of his gaze was enough to make many of his classmates shudder.

“…” For some reason, Conan felt that this person’s gaze was extremely eerie, as if it could see through him. His words carried a sting, making him uncomfortable.

Conan furrowed his brows, maintaining his innocent expression. “Uncle, of course, I know! Our school teachers always tell us to be law-abiding citizens and not to commit murder!”

“So, besides murder, you can do anything else, right?” Kensuke smiled knowingly. “I envy kids like you at your age. Despite harboring ill intentions and acting with malice, you always manage to escape punishment within the bounds of the law and be forgiven by people… If I could, I’d want to become a kid like you again!”